


Pinnate

by royal79 (Warriorgazer909)



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: 'Cause I'm original, AU, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Chester's nice in this one, Harry's a Dragon, M/M, Merlin's a Wizard, Multi, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-06-01 09:10:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6512209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warriorgazer909/pseuds/royal79
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Aether is a place in the Bermuda Triangle, kept aloft by the same elements that sink the ships and planes that drift over its waters. Only ever seen by humans in the air, Aether is a hidden world. One that most humans want to discover- and claim for their own.</p><p>See, Aether is a land of magic. Its people are the only ones who can walk its borders, though many choose to live on the rest of the Earth.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>"Aether is not for Humans to discover or ruin. What the Humans call Aether is only a small part; Aether is a full world so far away Humans have no hope of discovering her until well into the next ten eons.</i></p><p>
  <i>Nothing of Aether is to be discussed with a Human. They may know the basics, in order to fulfill basic curiosity, but nothing more."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kingsman

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Strange Sights, Strange Wonders](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3817126) by [manic_intent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/manic_intent/pseuds/manic_intent). 



This is an explanatory for the fic, so no one gets confused. I'm using several different species of supernatural creatures (not from the actual show) and I apologize if I get anything wrong. For fic purposes I'm changing the myths just slightly (mostly just so that they have a human form).

 

**Kingsman Hierarchy/Species**

Arthur - Chester - Haltija  
Merlin - Aodhan - Wizard

_The Witches_  
Morgan  
Lady  
Nimue  
Nivian  
Elaine  
Nyneve  
Vivian  
Evienne  
Avalon  

Bedivere - Roxy - Siren  
Bors - Julian - Demon  
Caradoc - Thomas - Ennedi Tiger  
Gaheris - Jordan - Adze  
Galahad -  to be chosen  
Gareth - Nick - Basilisk  
Gawain - Michael - Curupira  
Geraint - Ector - Werecat  
Kay - Richard - Hellhound  
Lamorak - Killian - Dullahan  
Lancelot - James - Kobold  
Percival - Alastair - Sphinx  
Tor - Nicholas - Each-Uisge  
Tristan - Rowan - Sphinx

Excalibur - Harry - European Dragon  
Guinevere - Eggsy - Nemean Lion

Dagonet - Andrew - Amarok

Percival and Tristan are Sphinxes purely because I read two were usually placed as guards, so two Knights.

These were all chosen on whims and any and all information is from wikipedia, so blame that for misinforming me.

Originally, Harry was a phoenix, and I'm still kind of questioning which he should be, but he's a dragon now. Also, yes, I made a difference with European and Chinese dragons. Eggsy was an Amarok but after some more creature exploration he turned into a Nemean lion. And yes, Merlin was always a wizard. 

Because I'm unoriginal, most of the witches are various forms of the name Nimue. There's a couple more, but at the risk of sounding the same I didn't use those.

Also, the use of Aether is probably going to be the supernatural species as a whole rather than the island itself, so I apologize in advance if that gets confusing in any way.


	2. The Aether

Since the sun first shone upon the Earth, the Aether existed. It is an unexplored, feared place, much like the ocean. An island that is said to be located purely within the center of the Bermuda Triangle, some people are able to come and go, but these individuals have not spoken of the Aether, much to the disappointment of many scientists.

The Aether is where many myths and legends are said to come alive. The Supernatural, they're called, and it is impossible that one will ever see an Aether. Many people say that the Aether live among us now, carving territory through the forests and existing much like we do. A few confirmed species do live among us- Wizards, Dragons (both Chinese and European), and Werewolves, though it is speculated more are here.

Because of the Aether's unwillingness to speak of themselves, the Aether, or anything regarding either subject, very little is known about these species. What is known can be read below.

**WIZARDS**

_Wizards are a very complex species, of what is known. Typically, the male of the species is called a Wizard and the female called a Witch, but the species as a whole is referred to as Wizards. Many are confused as to why a Wizard is called a separate species, but a Witch herself told a Human that Wizards are not the same species. They are separate, as a lion is to a jaguar._

**DRAGONS**

_Dragons are a very possessive species, with an ability to display a mark over what they declare as theirs. Two genuses of Dragon exist; the Chinese Dragons, and the European. Much like their legends, both genuses follow their Human-told tales._  
Chinese Dragons prefer the vast land of Asia, though some have been found within Europe. European Dragons live wherever they please, whether that is England or Africa. Both species are rather peaceful if left alone, and Chinese Dragons are less aggressive than European Dragons, upon the first meeting. Chinese Dragons wait for a new person- Human or Aether- to display their intention before appearing, and if the intention is a wrongdoing in their eyes, the person is either driven from their territory or killed on sight. European Dragons, in comparison, drive any and all passerby beyond their borders, and will only speak or show themselves if the visitor in question has a need of them.  
Both dragons are possessive of their territories and possessions, never waiting for explanation if either one is disturbed.

**WEREWOLVES**

_Werewolves are little known of. They exist, and many can be seen walking in one of their three forms- human, half-wolf, or full-wolf- on many nights. Some are only seen during the full moon, whilst others walk freely however they please. Werewolves are a social species, more open than Wizards or Dragons. Still, they do not speak of themselves._  
A Werewolf's half-form is smallest at six feet, and largest at twelve. A full-shifted Werewolf can be well over seven feet tall, on all fours, the minimum being five feet. The largest is recorded at ten feet, but it hasn't been confirmed if that is the maximum is ten feet or not.  
Female Werewolves are territorial over their children and families, while males are possessive over territory and mates. Werewolves are a monogamous species, and very few re-mate if their first dies. Werewolf mates do not leave one another.

❖❖❖

**AETHER**

_Aether is not for Humans to discover or ruin. What the Humans call Aether is only a small part; Aether is a full world so far away Humans have no hope of discovering her until well into the next ten eons._

_Nothing of Aether is to be discussed with a Human. They may know the basics, in order to fulfill basic curiosity, but nothing more._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an utter complete mess and I'm not sorry.


	3. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now actual fic

Harry growled, deep and low in his throat. The Dragon's rumble alerted everyone listening, as he crept through the brush. Through a small camera attached to the Dragon's horn, Merlin watched silently, brow furrowed as he scanned the area. Whatever had Harry agitated was a scent, not sight.

Merlin wove along their Bond, blinking as he looked through Harry's eyes. The eradicated border was clear, now, and Harry kept to the outside, stalking along the edge. Whatever it was that existed inside was not something that Harry recognized- and for that matter, Merlin either.

After a moment of border-stalking, Harry scaled a sycamore and peered down onto the forest floor, dark, sleek scales blending wonderfully with the foliage.

It didn't take long for the Aether to appear. At first, the brush rustled, and then a golden lion came stalking through the grove, powerful and deadly, muscles rippling beneath the lion's pelt.

_Nemean Lion_ , Merlin thought. A Nemean hadn't been spotted in _centuries_ , what was this- clearly young, going by his mane- Lion doing here, in the woods, and alone, at that?

Harry silently rumbled his agreement to Merlin's confusion. Around Merlin himself, the others in the room gasped, transfixed by the Nemean Lion stalking across the screen from Harry's camera feed. The Lion paused for a moment, before his head whipped up and golden eyes stared directly into the camera.

The Lion snarled, and with a few practiced, admirable moves, leapt into the trees with a few bounds and tackled Harry like a freight train.

Both Dragon and Lion crashed to the forest floor, Harry going purely defensive as the Lion snarled and roared at Harry, thick black claws sweeping towards Harry's scales.

"Across the border, Excalibur." Merlin ordered, realizing that the Dragon had cross the border upon climbing the sycamore. Harry, thankfully, obeyed, parrying the Lion's left swipe with his wing before leaping across the border and whipping around to face the Lion, in case the other gave chase.

The Lion _roared_ at Harry, glared darkly at the Dragon, and turned and disappeared into the trees. His golden pelt faded into the dark as Harry stared after the Lion, wings rising in interest.

"Head back home, Excalibur. We're done for the day." Harry's purring growl came in answer to Merlin's direction, and the feed quickly went from forest to sky as the Dragon reentered his element.

❖❖❖

Eggsy's heart was racing as he ran towards his cave, paws pounding on the grass below. Panic was flooding his system- up until he skidded to a stop within the stone cover, only to find his sister sleeping peacefully where he'd left her that morning.

Sighing in relief, Eggsy sat down and sighed heavily, slowly relaxing as the adrenaline worked its way through him. Daisy shifted in the corner, but didn't wake up. Eggsy glanced in the direction of the beach, deciding Daisy could do with a night swim. Besides the Dragon, nothing had entered the territory, so Eggsy felt relatively safe.

Purring softly, Eggsy padded to his sister and nuzzled the little girl, purr forming into a raspy growl meant to awaken her.

Daisy blinked up at him, light blonde curls thick on her head, green eyes sharp and curious as she awoke further. She grinned up at her brother, small hands reaching up to grasp Eggsy's mane in a gentle, possessive hold.

"Eggy!" Daisy cried happily, giggling as Eggsy ducked his head under her body and lifted her like that, legs hanging past his nose as he padded over to her skin, tail sweeping back and forth behind him. He knew every inch of the cave, vision obscured by a four year old or not.

He dipped his head and let Daisy drop to the floor, right next to her skin. Her excitement was palpable; Eggsy didn't leave often but he kept Daisy's skin hidden for her protection, so she didn't swim much. The lake was plenty enough for her, and until Daisy got older and he knew Mum was safe from Dean, he wasn't risking Daisy in the ocean.

The little girl was shrugging into her skin, the fur slipping over her form smoothly, until a seal sat in front of Eggsy. Daisy chirped in happiness, and Eggsy nudged her along, leading the way to the beach. Daisy liked both land and sea like this, even if she was considerably slower in her seal form on land. That didn't stop her fun in the least, considering Daisy liked to see everything with her heightened senses.

It didn't take too long until they reached the beach, Daisy crashing into the water with a happy battle cry. She disappeared under the water, but Daisy knew to come up for air and she wasn't that heavy, if Eggsy needed to change and lift her back up.

Daisy swam in the lake for hours, diving deep and catching fish with her sharp teeth, presenting the fish to her brother with sheepish delight, wriggling in the praise he gave her before she was off again, slapping her fins against the water in delight.

Eggsy lay relaxed on the beach, head resting on his paws as he kept his eyes on Daisy. He was listening to the forest, nearly humming with energy. Every stretch of woods had a energy to it, and this one had taken to both Eggsy and Daisy. So Eggsy had set up borders and let the trees tell him whenever someone entered the territory.

There hadn't been anything since the Dragon, thankfully, so when Daisy tired herself out and flopped up to curl up into the hollow of his stomach for a rest, Eggsy allowed the stay for a bit.

They dozed for a while, until the moon was high in the night and Eggsy could hear the Werewolves howling in the distance. Nudging Daisy awake, he waited until she clumsily peeled her skin off to take it into his mouth. She climbed up onto his back and he plodded back to the cave, tucking Daisy's skin into the little hidden hollow he made before padding to their nest, letting Daisy drop down before curling up, tucking the girl into the curl of his body, back to the entrance. With a sigh, Eggsy follow Daisy into sleep.

❖❖❖

Merlin brushed a hand along Harry's wing, absentmindedly thumbing the thin membranes that stretched between the leather of Harry's wings.

The Nemean had intrigued Merlin- and Harry- to the point where Harry had suggested returning to the territory to speak with the Nemean.

Nemean Lions existed one at a time, the previous blessing his golden pelt onto another before they died. They were purely solitary, rarely taking a territory as they preferred to wander. Because of their reluctance towards sentimentality, it wasn't really known whether Nemeans were possessive or not, though usually they were rather docile and preferred to talk than fight.

That this Nemean held a territory and something to be territorial of was new. Harry's rumble of agreement drew Merlin's attention to the Dragon.

"You'll head out tomorrow, _mo chridhe_." Merlin soothed, moving his hand to stroke the crest of Harry's head flat. The Dragon nodded, dipping his head to allow Merlin better access before he stood, stretching. Tonight he would fly with the other Dragons of Kingsman, reacquaint with them as they did every fortnight.

Merlin himself would be studying reports from the other Knights and monitoring Kay's mission. The Hellhound was prone to giving into his undiagnosed pyromania if someone wasn't directing him.

❖

Harry chuckled as the wind force of his downstroke knocked Simon off of his course, gracefully rolling away from the resulting fireball. Like the Wizards, few Dragons existed with Kingsman, but enough were here that a fortnight flight was required, to keep the flock mentality. Dragons had very fine-tuned instincts, and while they were more likely to attack a different species than another Dragon, Kingsman behavior was invasive enough they needed to build a flock bond.

Here, the flock bond was a familiar knot in Harry's mind, emotions pouring from his flock rather than the complete Bond Harry held with Merlin. Simon's sharp indignation was palpable, but the underlying current of amusement soothed it. Ethan's delight was both seeping from the bond and apparent in his crowing laughter, while Logan's familiar quiet merriment was his only warning when the elder Dragon neatly swept Harry and Ethan down towards the mansion.

Below, Lamorak's horse-accompanied figure was barely visible as he watched the Dragons play. The Dullahan grinned at Simon when the Dragon skimmed next to him, dropping to all fours to race alongside the man's horse. Above, the rest of the flock followed their course, making all sorts of noise in their glee as they cheered both creatures on.

Lamorak won, as usual, while Simon sulked before rejoining the flock once more. The flock-fly wasn't always just for the Dragons; others of the Kingsman often joined the Dragons for the night in some way or another. Lamorak had been gone for three weeks on a mission, and the previous flight featured Kay and Geraint racing the Dragons in their own forms. The flock wasn't just these four Dragons; it was the entirety of Kingsman. 

Harry took two more laps of the mansion before he dropped away, Logan and Simon crooning goodbyes. Lamorak joined him as he entered the mansion, both breaking off to head in their appointed areas; Harry back to Merlin and Lamorak to the kitchen.

Every Kingsman had their own flat, but both Merlin and Harry spent more time at the mansion than their own flat. Much to Chester's dismay; the Haltija's nature was very nit-picky when one of the agents were wearing themselves down.

As per usual, Merlin was busy when Harry entered the lab, the Scot speaking quietly to Kay. The feed from his glasses was concentrated on a computer, the Hellhound's fingers skimming over the keys as Merlin directed him. Harry, tired from the flock-flight, merely brushed his head against Merlin's side before retreating to the cot Merlin kept there in case he had to stay for long missions.

While Harry hadn't been human for more than 24 hours, he settled quickly into the form, adjusting his clothes before lying down on the cot. Content to listen to Merlin's low tone, his breathing got deeper as sleep edged closer. His thoughts turned to the Lion they'd found, curious about the young creature. His mane had been thick and coarse, but it was still young-thin. The Lion had snarled in anger, but fear had been in his golden eyes. That was mainly why Harry hadn't fought back, so curious as to why this Lion was scared.

The following roar would've sent a lesser man to his knees, and as it was Harry wisely hadn't tested the Lion. He'd kept from the Lion's border, but he saw the Lion's desperation as it left, and Harry's need to test fate had nearly sent him following the Lion. However, he'd decided it to be wiser to return the following day instead of returning injured.

Harry sighed, once, before turning onto his side and letting sleep claim him, finally. The _amusement-concern-indignation_  he felt from Logan faded with his returned _sleepy-calm_ , which he also pushed to Merlin's growing _amusement-refusal_. Really, the Wizard could at least _try_.


	4. Chapter Two

Eggsy groaned as he stood and stretched, jaw cracking as he stretched it in a yawn. Beside him, Daisy grumbled and turned to look at him with a sleepy glare, unhappy with the early wake up. He huffed at her and nudged her back to the warm spot in their nest, encouraging her back to sleep. Within seconds Daisy's breathing had slowed and she was fast asleep.

Eggsy padded out of the cave, intent on finding food before he returned to his search for Michelle and Lee. Daisy loved it here, but the lake wouldn't be enough after she turned seven. She was three now, and there was a lot of sea for Eggsy to find and a lot of selkie clans to talk to. So far this seemed to be his best bet, but he couldn't be sure.

With a low growl to himself, he listened to the forest, letting them direct him to a small deer just outside of his border. He'd specifically chosen this spot both for the lake and the lack of surrounding territories, so hunting outside of his borders shouldn't be a problem.

He stalked the deer for a few moments, before hunger won out over playfulness and he took the animal down with a few practiced movements. Daisy, right now, was partial to any fish she caught while swimming. She rejected most anything else, so Eggsy let her work off energy by catching fish during meal times. Daisy seemed to be a Spotted Seal, and of what Eggsy remembered he thought that's what Michelle's skin had been as well.

Just in case, he dragged the deer back into his border before eating the animal, carefully licking off blood so Daisy wasn't scared when he came back. She'd scratched her hand on his tooth, once, and he hadn't let her play around his open mouth since.

While Eggsy was cracking the bones because the sound amused him, the whisper of _intruder, intruder_  washed over the trees and directly to him. He paused, before leaping up to intercept the intruder. He couldn't let anyone get to Daisy; he _couldn't._  Michelle had trusted the baby to him, and he would get Daisy back to her or Eggsy would die trying.

It was the damn Dragon from yesterday, Eggsy thought, as he came upon him. The Dragon was sitting, calm as you please, just inside the border and looking rather expectantly at the trees, as if he was waiting for Eggsy. Well, if Eggsy could help it he wasn't going to let the Dragon see him, unless the bastard started trying to get deeper into the thicket, towards Daisy.

Of course, this was when Daisy started calling for him. He couldn't fault her, since this territory had been _safe_  and _safe_ meant freedom to be loud and happy.

The Dragon clearly heard Daisy's voice, and stood to follow it. Panic washed over Eggsy, and he snarled at the Dragon, leaping from his hiding place. Landing heavily on his back, Eggsy extended his claws, trying to dig them into the scales underneath his paws.

The Dragon growled and shook heavily, throwing him off. Daisy had gone quiet, likely having heard either the trees or Eggsy's snarl. He could only hope she tried to hide, because he wasn't sure about winning the fight with this Dragon. His impenetrable coat could only help so much, and the Dragon's claws and teeth weren't man-made.

To his surprise, however, the Dragon hadn't tried to fight him, only stepped back over the border once he was free of Eggsy. Utterly confused, Eggsy stood and glared at the Dragon, growling quietly. The Dragon was no more ruffled than he'd been when Eggsy first say him, and Eggsy watched- shocked, really- as the Dragon shrunk down to a man, only a little smaller than Eggsy- like a Lion, though; he had a few inches on Eggsy as a human.

"Hello, my name is Harry Hart." Eggsy eyed the Dragon, and having already quit growling he sat down to glare at the man. "I apologize for the misunderstanding yesterday;" Eggsy cocked his head a little at this. "I had not meant to cross your border. May I ask who you are, and just what you're doing here?"

From the man, came a quieter voice; " _Oh yes, Hart, try and interrogate the giant fucking Lion. I'm sure that'll work well._ "

Eggsy shot the man a look, cocking his head a little more. " _Shit, did he hear me?_ " Snorting Eggsy dipped his head in a nod in reply to the other man's question- it sure as hell was _Harry_  speaking.

Harry, in fact, looked rather amused at the entire ordeal. He straightened the lapels on his suit and settled back on his heels, giving Eggsy and expectant look. With a sigh, Eggsy stood, shook, and called upon his human form, shivering a little as his form changed. Unlike the Dragon, Eggsy took less than three seconds to change, having too much practice at being quick about it.

Harry didn't seem any different over Eggsy's human appearance, so Eggsy cocked an eyebrow and shoved his hands in his jacket. He hoped this wouldn't take long; Daisy was _awake_  which meant she was hungry, and though she was most likely hiding she'd soon try to come find him.

"'M Eggsy, the hell do ya want?" Eggsy growled, voice raspy. He hadn't been human for a couple months.

Harry smiled. "Would you mind telling me why you're out here?"

"Yeah, actually, I would." Eggsy snapped back. "I don' need to tell ya a damn thing, so stay the 'ell off my land."

Harry's smile turned a little bland, and Eggsy tensed. He was prepared to shift- except, of course, Daisy had done as he expected. She was headed towards them.

With a snarl, Eggsy shifted and left the Dragon on the other side of the border, moving to intercept Daisy before she came anywhere in sight of Harry. He reached Daisy in a matter of seconds, screeching to a halt in front of her. She hadn't gotten much further than in front of the cave, and he urged her back inside with a few soft growls. She thankfully didn't question him and hid back in the cave.

Behind him, a branch broke. Eggsy snarled and whipped around.

The Dragon had followed, looking mildly curious. Panic-fueled adrenaline racing through Eggsy, he roared a challenge at the Dragon, extending his claws and baring his teeth. Harry looked a little surprised at Eggsy's challenge, but he didn't drop down and accept it.

Instead, rather stupidly, in Eggsy's opinion, he stepped forward. That was enough for Eggsy, especially since _too close_  was anywhere inside the border. With a new snarl raging from his throat, Eggsy leapt.

 

The Dragon fought much better than Eggsy really expected for a posh bloke- what? He'd been in a suit, in the middle of the woods- but the Dragon was fighting more in defense than anything. Eggsy, however, was working off both aggressive anger from Dean and armed with a steady stream of adrenaline and panic. Throughout the entire fight, he was thinking _Daisy-Daisy-Daisy-protect-Daisy_.

Eggsy slammed the Dragon into a tree, using the long length of his body to aid in momentum. It knocked the Dragon off his back- and oh, Eggsy had gotten his head. Now the Dragon was dazed, bleeding profusely, and was starting to retreat. Eggsy had the feeling the Dragon had been holding back, but that was before Eggsy had slammed his head into a few trees.

With another snarl, Eggsy surged forward and sunk his claws into the edge between the Dragon's harder body scales and the softer belly scales. The Dragon wasn't truly vulnerable in any place, but the belly scales were somewhat softer than anywhere else.

The Dragon snarled in pain and whipped his head around to sink his teeth into Eggsy's shoulder. Eggsy's pelt was thicker than any normal lion- not to mention he was about three times larger- but it was impenetrable to _man made_  things. Guns, arrows, javelins, knives- none of those would do more than scratch an itch for Eggsy. But the Dragon was not a man made device- he was as supernatural as Eggsy, and his teeth and claws were as thick, sharp and deadly as Eggsy's.

So it _hurt_  when the Dragon's teeth sunk down into his shoulder- down through the thick muscle and nearly to the bone. It hurt, but it wasn't any worse than what Dean had done, sometimes. Eggsy was used to pain. Hell, by now he probably could've met the Queen for tea and been perfectly polite whilst missing all of his limbs without a scheduled amputation.

Screw it, he was fighting. He didn't have time for perfect analog.

So Eggsy didn't cry out when the Dragon bit him, instead he snarled in the Dragon's face and twisted his body around awkwardly to wrap his own jaws around the Dragon's muzzle. He didn't do more than scratch the scales, but he released the Dragon with his claws and shook his head hard enough to dislodge the Dragon.

He thought he heard something along the lines of " _C'mon Hart! He's kicking your scaly ass!_ " but didn't confirm it, too busy focusing on somehow harming the Dragon as his grip on the Dragon's jaw slipped. Eggsy snarled and swept his paw across the Dragon's jaw, leaving red marks. The Dragon's head whipped to the side and now, with an opening, Eggsy lunged for his throat.

Eggsy didn't have enough time for a secure grip, but his top row of teeth were firmly planted into the thicker side of the Dragon's scales while he could feel the bottom canines scrap across the bottom of the hollow directly underneath the Dragon's chin. The scales here were considerably softer, seeing as Eggsy could feel blood welling here rather easily.

The Dragon froze, and snarled. Eggsy closed his jaws as hard as possible and shook his head again. The Dragon paused, and then relaxed some. After a moment, Eggsy let him go, stepping back off the Dragon.

He was clearly dazed, and it took him a few moments to truly stand. Now that Eggsy's panic had bled off with the fight, he felt a little pity for the Dragon. The least he could do was actually make sure the Dragon _made_  it out.

Stepping forward, Eggsy slipped himself under the Dragon's wing, pressing against his side. The Dragon jolted- really, Eggsy had forgotten his name too damn easily- and his head whipped to look down at him. Eggsy only pressed against him a little harder, taking a step towards the border to make his point clear. After a long moment, the Dragon nodded and leaned against him.

It took nearly ten minutes, but eventually-finally- they made it to the border. He was less surprised than he should've been to see someone standing there- a Dullahan? He thought that's what the headless horse riders were.

Eggsy stopped just before the border, and left the Dragon to limp over the side. The Dullahan's head gave Eggsy an impressed grin before greeting the Dragon with a happy, "Excalibur!"

That sure as hell wasn't the Dragon's name; he thought it started with an h. Oh well, Eggsy didn't care all that much. Instead he turned and left, loping back to Daisy with the intent of washing in the lake while she fished.

He never saw the Dragon staring after him, or heard the Dragon's Bonded whisper to him, " _I want him._ "

❖❖❖ 

Merlin actually felt something akin to shock at the result of Harry and Eggsy's fight. He expected the Lion to hold up some sort of fight against Harry, but he hadn't expected the Lion to _win_. And then _help_  Harry over the border afterwards.

Merlin had meant what he said when Harry had turned to look back at the lad retreating into the brush. He'd long ago accepted he wasn't exactly a nice man, especially after feeling glee over plunging a dull knife into a murdering rapist, but he'd never felt more predatory than watching the Lion disappear into the forest.

Harry's rumble of agreement had reminded Merlin that his Bonded was first a Dragon, then a man.

Merlin wasn't a nice man, but he certainly wasn't a human, going about locking an Aether up. The lad would have a choice, of course, but first Merlin wanted to know what he was protecting so fiercely.

He had a small glimpse when Harry had followed the boy, but it was too blurry and blocked. Even clearing the picture wouldn't give Merlin any idea as to what it was, other than being alive. Merlin didn't even have an exact color; what little blonde he _thought_  he'd caught was too easily matched with the lad's mane.

Merlin hummed a little when Harry shifted his head, having placed it in his lap. Stroking over his lover's eye scales, he decided giving the boy an afternoon visit wouldn't be amiss- without Harry, of course. At this point the Lion would have a pavlovian response to Harry's arrival.

❖

Kay nearly laughed himself back to hell when he heard of Harry's defeat. Lamorak had greeted him with a shit-eating grin back in the forest, but that had been the extent of his gloating. Tristan and Percival had absolutely no problem in ribbing him for the rest of the day, only scared off from the infirmary by Morgan and Nimue. 

Bors had only chuckled a little, but didn't mention it. Caradoc had barely acknowledged his existence, as per usual, while Lancelot had followed in the way of Kay and cackled until Nyneve had arrived, with an evil smirk and an apparent notice of Lancelot's need of record updates.

Harry would have to send them all flowers as soon as possible, really.

He well and truly hurt, though, and decided actually going home for once would be in favor of staying at the mansion. Arthur approved of it, having only a small chuckle for Harry's complaint. 

Harry had been surprised at the boy's- Eggsy- ferocity. He knew good and damn well that stepping forward had been stupid- even without Merlin reminding him or Percival cackling into his com, but he hadn't banked on Eggsy being protective enough to truly fight him.

Morgan had said he was lucky he didn't have much worse than a light concussion.

He thought he'd seen whatever it was that Eggsy was hiding, but he hadn't caught more than a glimpse of something moving. So it was another Aether, but that didn't explain as to why Eggsy was protecting it so profusely.

And Harry had challenged Eggsy far too soon for him to scent anything, so that was a dead end. He'd caught Merlin's thoughts, and bugged the man to take at least Lamorak with him. Eggsy was very powerful, and Merlin's reserve would probably drain quicker than Eggsy would give up on protecting the Aether.

Merlin had agreed, more for Harry's amusement than any concern for his own preservation. Harry would be offended if his head didn't hurt so damn much. As it was, he had to leave his feed on for Lady to monitor so he wouldn't fall asleep and not wake up. Concussions were messy business.

❖ 

Merlin called Lamorak to him, resting a hand on the man's black horse. Lamorak's horse was very high-spirited. He'd truly been a hunting horse, having delighted far too much in a midnight chase for anyone else's tastes.

Merlin apparated the two back to where he'd sent Lamorak to pick up Harry, both landing neatly on their feet. Lamorak's horse danced a little, as the trees shivered with soft whispers.

Like Harry's flock-bond, trees spoke more in emotion than actual words. _Worry-worry-worry_ , they murmured. _Safe-safe-no-harm_. Merlin hummed softly, placing one hand on a tree. _Calm-safe_ , he sent, soothing their agitated whispers. _Calm-safe? Calm-safe-calm-safe-calm-safe-yes_.

Merlin stepped over the border with a hint of trepidation, Lamorak following quietly. The trees had calmed, trusting Merlin's promise as the two crept into the woods. They refused to give the exact location of the Lion, but he was given a hint of water.

So as they edged along, Merlin searched along for the energy of water, pleased when the lapping of a lake quietly responded. Water was calm, respectful, and had more words than trees or earth.

Still, all the elements easily favored people, and Eggsy had become one of them. So while Merlin now knew where the lad frequented his time, he still had no idea where the Lion actually _was_. The best Merlin could hope for was that he was at the lake right now.

Lamorak's horse was quiet, which probably meant they weren't being stalked. However, the Lion also used these woods like he'd been here for ages, seeing that both times he'd practically appeared out of nowhere.

 

Not much later, they reached the lake. It was fairly large, with a short beach extending around it. To the far left, Merlin thought he picked out the golden sheen of the Lion's coat from the sand, and started towards it, as Lamorak rode behind.

It _was_  the Lion, fast asleep while the lake hummed a gentle tune. Next to him, lay a seal pup, deeply asleep as the Lion. Eggsy had been protecting a Selkie, then. Why, was now the question, as few Aether could change species and Nemean Lions and Selkies weren't either of them.

Lamorak's horse pawed the floor, snorting. This woke the Lion, who raised his head and blinked blearily at Merlin and Lamorak.

 

 

Well, shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _A mess_


	5. Chapter Three

Merlin estimated he had about three seconds to do _anything_  before the Lion attacked, and since knocking the Lion back out was out of the question, he threw up a defensive shield as he and Lamorak prepared for Eggsy's attack.

To Merlin's surprise, however, Eggsy didn't attack. He sat for a moment, staring at them, before he growled quietly and stood. The Selkie pup woke up as the Lion left its side, huffing in indignation. Up until it- she, Merlin guessed- caught sight of them and flinched behind Eggsy's paw.

At this, Eggsy growled louder; a warning. Lamorak and Merlin both nodded, and Merlin dropped the shield as Lamorak soothed his excitable horse, moving a few meters away.

"May I speak with ye, lad?" Merlin asked, which seemed to surprise Eggsy some. After a moment he nudged the Selkie towards the water, which she obeyed without question. Once the lass was safely in the water, Eggsy turned back to Merlin and shifted.

"Wot is it?" Eggsy asked immediately, face settling into a scowl.

"Why is a Nemean protecting a Selkie?" Merlin asked, deciding that any lollygagging with Eggsy would get him nowhere but the infirmary.

"A wot?" Eggsy asked, scowl slipping to confusion.

"A Selkie-"

"I know what a Selkie is, bruv, wha' the hell is a Nemean?" Merlin blinked at the lad, as Lamorak turned to look at them both. He was certain the Dullahan had an incredulous expression, one that would've matched Merlin's if he'd been any younger.

"A Nemean Lion, _you_." Merlin replied, emphasizing. When Eggsy's expression went to full-confusion, Merlin sighed. "A Nemean is a lion whose pelt is golden and impenetrable by man made objects." After a moment, Eggsy nodded.

"Are there many?"

"Of what, Nemeans?" Eggsy nodded. "No, lad, only one exists at a time. You're the only one."

Eggsy sighed, glancing at the sand for a moment. "Explains some things." He muttered. "You lo' after my hide, too then?" Eggsy challenged, voice hardening. "I ain't gonna make it easy for ya, bruv."

"I have no intention of skinning ye like a human, lad." Merlin replied, almost indignant. Far more than he'd thought, if Lamorak's snort was anything to go by. "Are ye being hunted?"

Eggsy stared at Merlin for a long moment, before he nodded. "They're after Daisy," he nodded at the lake, where the Selkie appeared for a moment "too." Merlin was a little surprised Eggsy was actually talking to him, but he hadn't approached the boy like Harry, as a full Dragon and an obvious threat.

"We can protect the both of ye, give her access to some ocean." Merlin offered. Eggsy immediately looked shocked and wary.

"Why? Wot the hell do you want in return?" The boy was scowling again, eyes darting between Lamorak and Merlin.

"Easy, lad," Merlin soothed, holding one hand, palm up to the boy. "nothing like that, we aren't asking for anything in return." Not yet, perhaps, but he had an inkling Eggsy would be interested in Kingsman, at the least.

Lamorak nodded silently when Eggsy's gaze went to him. Eggsy glared at the Dullahan for a moment, before he looked back at Merlin. "Daisy'll be safe?" Well, at least Merlin knew why the trees were so anxious about the word safe. "You don' wan' nothin in return?"

Merlin nodded. "Aye, you'll both be safe." After a moment of the Mexican standoff, Eggsy's shoulders drop.

"I'm killing ya if you're lying." Eggsy growled at him, before he shifted and stepped towards the lake, roaring softly- as soft as a roar can be- for Daisy. After a few seconds the Selkie appeared, gleefully gliding from the water in a move, that while it could use a little practice, was fairly smooth.

He nudged Daisy's shoulder with his nose. She grumbled for a moment, before giving Eggsy a look and wriggling a little, shrugging off her skin. She was much younger than Merlin had expected, only about three or four. Daisy looked up at Merlin curiously, soft blond curls matching well with Eggsy's mane.

"Who're you?" Daisy's voice was soft, lisping as a child's voice does. Merlin gave her a warm smile, crouching down to her level.

"My name is Merlin."

"Lin?" Daisy asked, cocking her head. "Lin!" She seemed to decide, looking pleased with herself. Lamorak chuckled, drawing Daisy's attention to him.

"Elpie!" She shrieked, suddenly. Only Eggsy's paw against her chest kept her from running to Lamorak, and Daisy turned a heartbroken look upon the Lion. Eggsy shook his head. "No 'elpie?" Eggsy shook his head again and Daisy looked at Lamorak, confusion warping her expression. "Who're you?"

"I am Lamorak, young one."

"Lamrok?" Daisy replied, cocking her head slightly. Merlin was fairly impressed with her pronunciations, especially since it seemed like Eggsy hadn't spent much time with the girl as a human.

"You may call me that, young Daisy." Daisy grinned up at Lamorak. Eggsy nudged her shoulder and lay flat, letting the young girl clamour onto his back, hands fisted firmly into his mane. Eggsy stood, picked up Daisy's skin and gave Merlin an expectant look.

"Brace yourself." Merlin warned, extending the spell over Eggsy and Daisy. Once they'd landed at the mansion, Eggsy merely shook his head and regained his balance while Daisy looked a little sick, pressing her face into Eggsy's mane with a soft groan.

Lamorak rode ahead, while Merlin led the way into the mansion, Eggsy padding alongside him silently. He was as quiet as he'd been whilst stalking Harry, no louder on the marble than the forest floor.

Merlin went to the infirmary first, as magic-sickness was easy to treat, and he thought he'd seen a still-open wound from the fight that morning.

Eggsy followed along silently, but he balked when Nyneve reached for Daisy, glaring at the Witch. He didn't growl, or swipe at her, but he backed up and kept behind Merlin.

"Oh, hush, you." Nyneve scolded. "I'm trying to help you, not hurt you. She'll feel better in a moment and I want to check you over." Eggsy glared at Nyneve for a moment, and the Witch wisely made no move to get closer to the wary lad. Merlin gave Eggsy a nod when the Lion glanced at him, and Eggsy seemed to relax, just a little.

Nyneve carefully took Daisy from Eggsy's back, placing her on a bed and turning away to shake a pill from a bottle, cracking it in half before handing it and a glass of water to Daisy.

Daisy waited for Eggsy's permission before she experimentally slipped the pill in her mouth, grimacing at the taste and looking at Nyneve in confusion when the Witch held out the glass. Instead of questioning the girl, Nyneve merely placed the glass on Daisy's lips and carefully tipped it, giving the Selkie a gentle smile when Daisy took the hint and swallowed the water.

Eggsy had sat down, one paw placed protectively over Daisy's skin. Merlin knew if any human male got a hold of it, they'd have control over Daisy until someone found it for the lass, though why Eggsy knew of this and was protecting it and Daisy so jealously, Merlin didn't know.

After Daisy had finished her glass, Nyneve turned to Eggsy. The lad growled, to which Nyneve rolled her eyes. Completely unafraid of the Lion, she examined him by eye only, before asking him to stand and giving the rest of him a once-over.

"That scratch'll be fine, but don't pull on it. Otherwise, get out of my infirmary." Eggsy picked up Daisy's skin and let Nyneve put her back onto Eggsy's back, turning to follow Merlin.

"Oi!" Well, Lancelot had clearly finished with his record update, _just in time_  to see Eggsy. "Are you the lad that kicked Excalibur's ass?" Eggsy's ears flattened and he turned to eye Lancelot as he came closer, grinning far too widely for Merlin's tastes.

Eggsy's too, if the lad's growl was anything to go by.

"If you piss him off I'm letting Nivian patch you up." Nyneve called, without turning around.

Lancelot winced, smile falling a little. "Just wanted to congratulate you, lad! Excalibur's hard to beat." Eggsy only huffed at Lancelot, watched the man warily. He stepped aside when the Knight passed, leaving Merlin to lead the boy to the lab.

First to find some names, and possibly the entire story.

❖❖❖

Eggsy followed Merlin warily, eyeing anyone who passed them. Unlike the man from the infirmary- Lancelot, Merlin had said his name was- everyone else pretty much ignored them. As if it was normal to see a six foot lion walking down a fucking corridor.

 _A Nemean Lion_. Eggsy hadn't known what he was for nearly twenty years, not long after Michelle had been captured by Dean and the arsehole had found out what Eggsy shifted into. Then he started looking at Eggsy like he was a pile of money rather than a burden, and Eggsy had found Michelle's skin as quickly as possible.

Of course, then there was Daisy. She hadn't shifted yet, hadn't grown her skin, and with Daisy being half human there was no guarantee she could join Michelle and Lee in the ocean. So Eggsy had agreed to take care of Daisy, until she turned a year old, when she'd turn out to be a human or selkie. For the first year and a half after Eggsy had went into hiding with her, Daisy spent most of that time learning how to walk and talk in a forest with a lion standing over her. Eggsy had taught her the best he could, though most of that was hiding, being quiet, and hanging onto his mane as tight as she could while he was running.

Had she gotten a proper education Eggsy was sure his flower would be so smart, so much more than she already was. She'd figured out her skin far quicker than Eggsy had, and learning to take it on and off had been a mere two days of practice.

Now Eggsy's problem was searching out Michelle and Lee, and running from Dean and his goons. At least he knew why now. That, and he didn't want to risk Daisy living like Michelle had.

Eggsy had always known Michelle wasn't his mother; the selkie had made sure of that. He wasn't Dean's, either. Michelle had found Eggsy as a baby near the shore, and she'd raised him half in the water, half on land until he was eleven, and Dean had found Michelle playing with Eggsy and snatched up her skin.

Eggsy spent the next thirteen years searching for Michelle's skin and living a life of hell with her. Their pod had moved, wary of the humans, and Michelle hadn't gotten to see Lee until Eggsy returned her skin.

The last year was spent in a- so far- fruitless search for Michelle, now, since Daisy would be so much better off with Michelle than Eggsy. Daisy belonged with Michelle, and their pod. Once Daisy was safe Eggsy had no problem keeping to himself while hiding from Dean. He didn't trust Merlin's word to keep him safe, but if he had a minor chance of finding Michelle Eggsy was taking it.

Sighing, Eggsy let his thoughts wander from the situation to the house- no, what were they? Mansions. Eggsy remembered little of what Michelle had taught him, other than the supernatural creatures. He knew they had a name, but he'd long forgotten that. Michelle hadn't been able to teach him after a couple of years, after Dean, since the man began to drug Michelle out of her mind.

So Eggsy mostly only knew what fish and berries were safe along with supernatural creatures. He sure as hell hadn't heard of a Nemean Lion, though he didn't care much about that.

The next room Merlin led Eggsy to was a 'lab', apparently. A desk with three large monitors was the main attraction of the sterile white room, though Eggsy spotted a few others computers and people working. 

None of them turned to look at Eggsy or Merlin, though his ears pricked when he heard a familiar voice- the one from the Dragon?

A man came from around a corner, chuckling. His grin widened upon seeing Merlin and Eggsy, and he strode over to them with a steady, sure gait. Stopping in front of Merlin, he turned his grin on Eggsy.

"Complements on actually beating Hart, lad." The man said. His voice was softer than Lancelot's, though no less amused.

"Don't you have a briefing, Kay?" Eggsy didn't realize that _Kay_  was actually the man's name for a moment.

"Already turned it in, Ethel was prepping me for a new one."

"Not unless you've rested for twenty-four hours, Kay." Merlin glared at the man, though it didn't seem malicious. Kay only grinned back at Merlin's hawk stare.

"You'd think after the first twenty times you'd get bored of sayin' that."

"You'd think after the first twenty times one of you would _listen._ " Merlin quipped back. "Go home and rest." Kay only shook his head, giving Eggsy one last grin before the man left. "Ten years, he's been an agent and he still has no sense."

"None of them do, Merlin." A woman spoke up, without looking at them.

Daisy was growing heavier against his back, falling asleep. Eggsy's back was broad enough that she wouldn't fall off unless he lost his balance. Those four years where Eggsy had found the old gymnasium, along with the old man who took Eggsy as his pupil, had taught Eggsy more about balance than standing in the crashing waves, watching Michelle's pod and playing with the pups. Eggsy had long since learned how to execute those same gymnastic movements as a lion as well as a human, so in the calm nature of the house, Eggsy was certain Daisy would be perfectly fine.

"Come along, Eggsy," Merlin said, taking a- a clipboard?- from the large desk and turned towards the door. Eggsy followed Merlin without complaint, not realising that Merlin's commanding tone should have rubbed him the wrong way far more than it did. At least, to those watching the Wizard commanding the Lion.

Then again, the same Wizard had a Dragon at his beck and call, as well as the entirety of Kingsman, so perhaps it wasn't all that unusual.

All the same, Eggsy complacently followed Merlin to a quiet, soundproof office, where Eggsy carefully tipped himself to deposit Daisy on a nearby couch, dropping Daisy's skin next to her, before shifting.

"Now then," Merlin sat down behind the desk in the office, waiting until Eggsy had taken an opposite seat to continue. "where do we start? Daisy, or the people hunting you?"

❖❖❖

Eggsy shrugged, flopping back against the chair in a show of faux bravado. Clearly the lad was feeling out of place.

"Suppose we star' with Dais, yeah?" The lad's accent was different than what Merlin had expected, but then he hadn't expected the current Nemean to be harboring a Selkie pup, either.

"There's a private beach-"

"No, no, Dais' has a family. I wanna find 'em." Eggsy interrupted. "She's four, yeah? I can't keep looking for them while she's growing like this; lakes aren' gonna be enough for her, anymore."

"Alright," Merlin blinked, surprised. "Do you know her mother's name?"

"Michelle Unwin." Eggsy hesitated, as Merlin started tapping on his pad for results. The Selkie clans weren't registered, or anything, but Merlin could find names quickly. "Dais- she's only half. Her 'father'-" here, Eggsy spat the word like it was poison on his tongue "is the bastard tha's huntin' us."

"Language." Merlin murmured automatically. Too many years training recruits into the fine art of manners. Merlin still couldn't believe that Bors and Harry had gone head for head in the hardest to train.

He'd been listening to Eggsy, carefully keeping his features from a scowl. From Eggsy's disdain, Merlin guessed Daisy's sire had stolen Michelle's skin, though how Eggsy had come into the picture was still unclear.

Merlin's pad beeped, screen popping up with Michelle's name. Evienne's current hold near the sea had come in handy, considering the witch had not only found the Selkie, but had her location down to the specific coordinates. It took only a mention of Eggsy's name to have the woman stepping from the ocean. A quick visual check with Eggsy resulted in a confirmation.

"Can we go see her now?" Eggsy asked, carefully keeping the excitement from his voice, but not quite succeeding.

"Aye, lad, gather the lass and we'll head out to her right now." Eggsy didn't wait for Merlin to finish speaking before he nearly bolted from the chair, rounding the couch to gently lift Daisy from her spot. The lass was still fast asleep, flopping against Eggsy in the true relaxation of sleep. Once Eggsy had a hold of Daisy's skin, Merlin spoke. "Brace yourself." He warned again, carefully wrapping his magic around Eggsy and Daisy.

Between one blink and the next, they stood on a windy shore with two women standing in the sand. Evienne gave Merlin a firm nod and turned away, while Michelle nearly squeaked with excitement, leaping forward to wrap Daisy and Eggsy in a tight hug.

Eggsy leaned into it, wrapping his own free arm around Michelle while Daisy started to wake up from the jostling. Merlin stood to the side, content to let the three have their reunion.

Or more, Merlin mused, watching as Selkies began to appear in the water, watching Michelle and Eggsy with interest. One drifted closer, soon hopping onto the beach. It- he- began to shrug off his skin, and Merlin was pleasantly surprised with a familiar face.

Lee Unwin only had eyes for Michelle, Eggsy, and Daisy, and Merlin didn't try calling his attention. Their discussion was too quiet for Merlin to hear, but it resulted in Eggsy handing Daisy to Michelle and Lee enveloping the boy into a hug. By now, Daisy had awoken, and was looking around in confusion.

As they talked, Merlin returned to his pad, soon focused on the new recruits' folders. Really, Merlin should've expected Arthur's choice to be his snotty nephew. The lad had very little tact and absolutely no shame in flaunting his power and money. Merlin would enjoy torturing him with the tests for the next year or so.

Sand shifting underneath feet caught Merlin's attention, and he glanced up to see Lee had come closer.

"I don't know why I expected you to be doing anything else." Lee said, gesturing to the pad. Oh, yes, Merlin remembered.

"You hooligans required constant surveillance, I'll remind you." Merlin snipped back. Lee grinned at him and Merlin felt his own lips curling into a smile.

"It's good to see you, Merlin." Lee's grin gentled into a fond smile, and the Selkie glanced back at Michelle and Eggsy, who were fussing over Daisy and talking animatedly. "What are you doing here, with Eggsy?" Merlin turned back to Lee as the man asked the question, faced with a cocked eyebrow and a slightly defensive stance, arms crossed and a hard look in his eyes.

"Found the lad settling in Taiwan; after Harry pissed him off I got the lad to talk, a little." Merlin said, calm in the face of Lee's defensive aggression. He'd faced worse from Harry on a good day, and Merlin dealt with _all_  the agents of Kingsman, including Lee. Well along with the fact that Merlin had no reason to hide anything about Eggsy from Lee, seeing as the Selkie was protective of the lad.

Lee relaxed some, giving Merlin a nod after a moment. "Michelle and I found him as a babe by the sea. One of the pups had startled him into a cub, but after a moment they were playing with each other. He had no idea where he was or what we were, and Michelle didn't want to leave him like that." Lee explained, dropping his arms down and giving a rueful glance to his mate. "They were taken when Eggsy was about eleven. After some time Michelle came back, sans Eggsy and talking about a half pup she'd left behind."

Well, at least Merlin knew why Eggsy had the Selkie, of sorts. And Daisy's sire- truly, if the man was so greedy as to be hunting a Nemean and a Selkie, he didn't deserve any credit to either's heritage- was hunting them. The story was beginning to fall into place, somewhat, though Merlin's new desire was to figure out where Eggsy had come from.

Well, not exactly; Merlin's _deeper_  desire was to possess Eggsy as he did Harry, have the Lion at his beck and call like he did the Dragon- but from loyalty. Merlin wasn't nice but the Wizard had standards.

Lee's glare had settled back into place, narrowed eyes searching Merlin's face. The Selkie had an uncanny ability to get into someone's deepest thoughts; though it was a matter of Lee's stubborn personality rather than any magic behind the gesture.

"Eggsy won't respond like Harry, Merlin."

Damn the Selkie.

"I have no intention of treating the lad like a shadow of a Dragon." Merlin replied, pleasing Lee with his blunt reply. "You know good and damn well how I feel about that." Lee nodded; he'd gone through the Kingsman training like the rest of the recruits. Merlin had been a near brute with training, a drill sergeant that could _literally_ see _everything_ , but he'd been fair. No one had been brushed aside during the training, each earning their turn of Merlin's complete and undivided attention at one point or another. It hadn't been quite necessary for Lee- Selkies grew up in pods, and no one was left behind in a pod- but he'd watched others begin to bloom underneath the attention.

Lee had asked after they'd finished, and had received a rather lengthy rant about children ending up in wrong places from lacking guidance figures.

(Much, much later, from Harry, he learned one of Merlin's apprentices had killed themselves for the same reason.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I finally finished this chapter 15 days later  
> It's also the longest chapter I've ever written
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> _a mess_


	6. Updates!!

Okay, so, I know it's nearing a year since I've even looked at this, but I have some news.

I will be rewriting Pinnate. I know you guys love this, and thank you so much for all the praise, but I'm not quite on track with the ideas I had for this, and honestly, I don't really like my writing. So, I'll be redoing this.

I've already got most of the story laid out, it'll just be writing the entirety of it. I won't post anything until I've completed the entire fic in private, however, and with the size of the fic (thirty+ chapters!) it'll take a while for me to complete. I'd say I'm sorry for getting you excited, but meh.

So! I've got the entire fic to write, and with my schedule it'll be kind of slow going, but I hope to have it up soon.

Thank you guys so much for the support, and have a happy (late) new year!

**Author's Note:**

> I've been in this fandom for maybe two months and I've already written at least 7000 words.


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